20 June 2005

This phrase illustrates how grossly incorrect we use the word 'church.' We use the word as if it means a place and a time (most commonly the church 'building' on Sunday morning). Some of you will be familiar with the greek term behind our english word church which is 'ecclesia.' The literal meaning of this word is 'those called out' or 'called out ones.' So in the book of Romans for instance, the apostle Paul was not writing to 'the building in which Christians meet' at Rome, but to 'those called out' at Rome. Many of you will know that many early churches in the first century met in homes. For centuries, however, the majority of Christians have met in buildings. Lately, you will have noticed that the trend of 'home groups' has been popular all over the world.

Can I just say that I don't really believe it matters WHERE or WHEN the church meets? Can I also say that even though we must meet corporately together, the Church is not (or at least should not be) defined by what happens when 'it' meets? We tend to compartmentalize our lives in to sacred or secular sectors, and this ought not be so.

In Acts 2, the earliest christians met daily in the temple because that was a central place of community for their Jewish culture. Reading these kinds of passages, you quickly get the idea that there was never a time or place when the early Church was not being the Church. We ought to follow their example. Didn't Jesus himself say that WHENEVER two or more are gathered in His name, that He would be there with them? So why do we argue about where and when to meet?

In modern days, Christians are very concerned by how our services run, and what percentages of people are in small groups, etc. We find safety and comfort in such noble things as mission trips, bible studies and meetings. I'm interested in joining God in being a part of a culture of Christians that are letting Christ live in them to the point that it makes sense that they bear His name. Not a once or twice a week irrelevant gathering of warm bodies, but an ongoing, constant culture of self-sacrificing, serving, slaves of Christ. May we begin that culture in our own hearts.